Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, in the United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located in Southeast Texas on the Neches River about east of Houston, Beaumont had a population of 117,267 at the time of the 2010 census, making it the 30th most populous city in the state of Texas.
Beaumont was founded in 1835. The pioneer settlement had an economy based on the development of lumber, farming, and port industries. In 1892, Joseph Eloi Broussard opened the first commercially successful rice mill in Texas, stimulating development of rice farming in the area; he also started an irrigation company to support rice culture. Rice became an important commodity crop in Texas and is now cultivated in 23 counties.
A big change occurred in 1901 with the Spindletop gusher, which demonstrated that a huge oil field lay underneath and adjacent to the city. With Spindletop, several energy companies developed in Beaumont, and some remain. The area rapidly developed as one of the country's major petro-chemical refining areas. Along with Port Arthur and Orange, Beaumont forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the Texas Gulf Coast.
Beaumont is home to Lamar University, a national Carnegie Doctoral Research university with 14,966 students, including undergraduates and postgraduates. Over the years, several corporations have been based in this city, including Gulf States Utilities, which had its headquarters in Beaumont until its takeover by Entergy Corporation in 1994. GSU's Edison Plaza headquarters remains the tallest building in Beaumont.
History
In 1824 Bobby and Nancy Tevis settled on the west bank of the Neches River and developed a farm. Soon after that, a small community grew up around the farm, which was named Tevis Bluff or Neches River Settlement. In 1835 the land of Tevis, together with the nearby community of Santa Anna, was purchased by Henry Millard, Joseph Pulsifer, and Thomas Byers Huling. They began planning a town to be laid out on this land. Their partnership, J.P. Pulsifer and Company, controlled the first upon which the town was founded. This town was named Beaumont, after Mary Dewburleigh Barlace Warren Beaumont, the wife of Henry Millard. They added more property for a total of 200 acres.Beaumont became a town on 16 December 1838. Beaumont's first mayor was Alexander Calder.
From the town's founding in 1835, business activities included real estate, transportation, and retail sales. Later, other businesses were formed, especially in railroad construction and operation, new building construction, lumber sales, and communications. The Port of Beaumont became a successful regional shipping center. Beaumont was a small center for cattle raisers and farmers in its early years. With an active riverport by the 1880s, it became an important lumber and rice-milling town. The city exported rice as a commodity crop. Beaumont's lumber boom, which reached its peak in the late 19th century, was stimulated by the rebuilding and expansion of the railroads in the state and region after the Civil War.
The Beaumont Rice Mill, founded in 1892 by Joseph Eloi Broussard, was the first commercially successful rice mill in Texas. In addition, Broussard cofounded the Beaumont Irrigation Company in 1898 to operate an irrigation system to support rice culture. The company along with four others established around the same time helped stimulate the expansion of rice cultivation from 1500 acres in 1892 to 400,000 acres in 23 counties by his death in 1956. The other companies were The Port Arthur Rice and Irrigation Company, The McFaddin-Wiess-Kyle Canal Company, the Treadaway or Neches Canal Company, and the Taylors-Hillebrand complex. The holdings of those companies formed the basis for the Lower Neches Valley Authority established by the state legislature in 1933.
The rise of Beaumont's mill economy drew many new residents to the city, many of them immigrants. The first Jewish man in the city was from Louisiana, others migrated from the South, and were joined by immigrants. They worked as merchants and in a variety of jobs in the growing city and ranching area. In 1895 Jews formed their first congregation. By the early 20th century, the city was served by the Southern Pacific; Kansas City Southern, Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe; and Missouri Pacific railroad systems.
Oil was discovered at nearby Spindletop on 10 January 1901. Spindletop became the first major oil field and one of the largest in American history. With the discovery of oil at Spindletop, Beaumont's population more than tripled in two months from 9,000 in January 1901 to 30,000 in March 1901. Oil is, and has always been, a major export of the city, and a major contributor to the national GDP.
William Casper Tyrrell, nicknamed "Captain W.C.", was a leading businessman and oil tycoon in the city in the early 20th century, developing businesses during the Texas Oil Boom. An entrepreneur from Pennsylvania and Iowa, he arrived after the gusher at Spindletop, and invested in development of a commercial port in the city, and an irrigation system to support the local rice industry, as well as residential and retail development of suburban property. He was also a philanthropist. He purchased and donated First Baptist Church, whose congregation had moved to a new facility, to use as the city's first public library, now known as the Tyrrell Historical Library.
When the city became a major center for defense shipbuilding during World War II, tens of thousands of rural Texans migrated there for the new high-paying jobs. The Roosevelt administration ordered the defense industry to be integrated, and many Southern whites were working closely with blacks for the first time. Housing was scarce in the crowded city, and racial tensions increased. In June 1943 after workers at the Pennsylvania shipyard in Beaumont learned that a white woman had accused a black man of raping her, nearly 2,000 went to the jail where a suspect was being held, attracting more men along the way and reaching a total of 4,000. Ultimately the white mob rioted for three days, destroying major black neighborhoods and killing five persons. No one was prosecuted for the deaths. The riot in Beaumont was one of several in 1943 which centered in the defense industry, including Los Angeles, Detroit, and Mobile, Alabama as well as other cities across the country. The wartime social disruption was similar to which had occurred in other parts of the country during and following World War I.
During the war years, airmen cadets from the Royal Air Force, flying from their training base at Terrell, Texas, routinely flew to Beaumont on training flights. The community served as a stand-in for the British for Paris, France, which was the same distance from London, England as Beaumont is from Terrell.
In the postwar years, Beaumont's port continued in importance. As was typical with other cities, post-war highway construction led to the development of new suburbs and dispersal of the population in search of new housing. Recently, there has been some renewal in Downtown Beaumont and in other areas of the city.
In 1996, the Jefferson County courts, located in Beaumont, became the first court in the nation to implement electronic filing and service of court documents. This eliminated the need for law firms to print and mail reams of documents.
In 2005 and 2008, Beaumont and surrounding areas suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike, respectively. Mandatory evacuations were issued in advance of both storms.
In August 2017, Beaumont and surrounding areas experienced severe flooding as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Due to the flooding, Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital evacuated all of its highest level of acuity patients with the help of National Guard helicopters. In addition, many Beaumont residents had to be rescued by both boats and helicopters as a result of the floodwaters., many residents in the area are still attempting to recover from the hurricane.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which are land and, or 3.53%, are water.Beaumont lies on Texas' coastal plain, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, east of Houston, and just south of the dense pine forests of East Texas. The city is bordered on the east by the Neches River and to the north by Pine Island Bayou. Before being settled, the area was crisscrossed by numerous small streams. Most of these streams have since been filled in or converted for drainage purposes. The island directly across from Riverfront Park is called Trinity Island. There are also three other islands in the Neches River around the downtown area/port: Harbor, Smith and Clark. Beaumont is relatively flat compared to other Texas cites at being 16 ft. above sea level. South of Beaumont, Port Arthur is only 7 ft. above sea level.
Towns and communities
Several towns and communities have been absorbed into the city of Beaumont. These include: Amelia, established in 1885 and incorporated into Beaumont in 1956; Elizabeth, the depot of Amelia that was established around 1903 or after and annexed into Beaumont in 1957; Elwood, established sometimes in the late 1800s, changed to Voth in 1902, and annexed into Beaumont in 1957; Guffey, post office was established in 1901 and closed in 1925 but is part of Beaumont now; Santa Anna, became part of Beaumont when it was founded; Tevis Bluff, became part of Beaumont when it was founded in 1835.Climate
The city of Beaumont is within the humid subtropical climate regime, and is within the Piney Woods region of eastern Texas. The area around Beaumont receives the most rainfall in the state: more than annually. The city has two distinct seasons, a wet season from April to October and a dry season from November to March. Hurricanes also pose a threat to the region. Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008 both caused significant damage. Both Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019 caused historic flooding throughout the city.On August 18, 2009, a tornado hit the west side of Beaumont, causing damage to cars and several local businesses. Injuries were minimal.
While wintry precipitation is unusual, it does occur. The most recent significant wintry event to occur was December 8, 2017 when the Southeast Texas Regional Airport recorded 3 inches of snowfall. December 11, 2008 and December 4, 2009 were also days that Beaumont saw measurable snowfall. Snow also fell across the Beaumont area on Christmas Eve 2004. In January 1997, a severe and historic ice storm struck the region, leaving thousands without power and major tree damage in its wake. In unofficial records, Beaumont received as much as 30 inches of snow during the blizzard of February 1895 that impacted the Gulf Coast.
The Beaumont-Port Arthur region has historically been cited as one of the most polluted urban areas in the United States due to various energy industries and chemical plants in the area. Even so, as of 2014, the Beaumont-Port Arthur region was not under any Environmental Protection Agency non-attainment restrictions; however, counties in the Greater Houston area, the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and El Paso were., the Beaumont-Port Arthur area was not under any Texas Commission on Environmental Quality attainment compliance deadlines. Regardless, according to an article published in 2007 focusing on Port Arthur, a neighboring city to the southeast of Beaumont, pollution was believed to have caused some area residents to become sick. This has generated debates throughout the local media.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 118,296 people, 45,648 households, and 28,859 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,339.4 people per square mile. There were 48,815 housing units at an average density of 574.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 33.5% non-Hispanic White, 47.3% African American, 0.0% Native American, 3.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 7.1% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.4% of the population.There were 45,648 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.7% were married couples living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.3% the age of 19 or under, 8.5% from 20 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,699, according to the American Community Survey, and the median income for a family was $49,766. The per capita income for the city was $23,137. About 17.6% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line.
Economy
According to the City's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
| 1 | Lamar University | 2,546 |
| 2 | Beaumont Independent School District | 2,317 |
| 3 | ExxonMobil Corporation | 2,189 |
| 4 | Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital | 2,136 |
| 5 | Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital | 1,653 |
| 6 | City of Beaumont | 1,293 |
| 7 | Jefferson County | 1,155 |
| 8 | Burrow Global Services | 785 |
| 9 | Conns Appliances Inc. | 617 |
| 10 | Alorica | 372 |
A significant element of the region's economy is the Port of Beaumont, the nation's fourth-largest seaport by tonnage. The 842d Transportation Battalion, and the 596th Transportation Group are both stationed at the port in Beaumont.
In addition to companies doing business within the city limits, several large industrial facilities are located within the city's five-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction boundaries including the ExxonMobil Beaumont refinery and chemical plants, Goodyear Beaumont chemical plant, and DuPont chemical plant.
Jason's Deli has its headquarters in Beaumont. Conn's Appliances did have its headquarters in Beaumont; however, in mid-2012, Conn's moved its corporate headquarters to The Woodlands. Originally Sweet Leaf Tea Company had its headquarters in Beaumont. The headquarters moved to Austin in October 2003.
Businesses associated with Beaumont
- Bethlehem Steel/Trinity Industries Shipyard: dating from 1917 to 1994 under the names of Beaumont Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Pennsylvania Shipyards, Bethlehem Steel Company, and Trinity Industries. Over eight hundred vessels were built and repaired at the shipyard including barges, ships, and offshore drilling rigs including seventy-two jack up offshore drilling rigs, the second-most offshore drilling rigs built in the United States, and seventy-one Type C1 ships built for the U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II
- Conn's: Chain of appliance and electronic stores; now headquartered in The Woodlands
- Dresser Industries: A Dresser-Ideco plant was a major employer for seventy-seven years. The plant, with around 350 employees, closed in 1985.
- Gulf Oil: Gulf Oil Company founded 1901, now Chevron
- Humble Oil: 50% of Humble Oil sold to Standard Oil of NJ to build its first refinery in Baytown. Merged and renamed Exxon 1972. Now ExxonMobil
- Jason's Deli: Fast casual chain with locations in 30 states; still HQed in Beaumont.
- Magnolia Petroleum Company: Startup began in Corsicana in 1898, but became a major company in Beaumont in 1901. Owned KFDM radio, now 560 KLVI, in the 1930s through the 1950s. Its refinery in Beaumont along with Texas Oil Co. & Gulf's in Port Arthur, Texas were 3 of the largest in the world. Magnolia later sold 45% ownership to Standard Oil of NY, Socony. Combined companies years later into Mobil now ExxonMobil
- Port of Beaumont: Young town of Beaumont grew quicker around this harbor about 1840 and would mark the spot that would become the port. Ranks consistently among the top five ports in the country for tonnage
- Sweet Leaf Tea: A ready-to-drink organic tea company started in Beaumont in 1998 by Clayton Christopher and David Smith, later moved to Austin, Texas.
- The Texas Oil Company: Founded in 1902 just west of Beaumont became Texaco;, now owned/part of Chevron formerly Standard Oil Company of California.
- The Texas Coffee Company: Home of Seaport Coffees and Texjoy Steak Seasoning among other products distributed regionally. The company was founded in 1921 by Charles J. Fertitta, Sr. In 1968, the Texas Coffee Company became the first company in the United States to begin packaging coffee in vacuum-packed foil bags.
Culture
Arts and theatre
Museums and buildings open for tours
- Art Museum of Southeast Texas, with its Perlstein Plaza, dedicated in memory of pioneer real estate developer Hyman Asher Perlstein, who arrived in Beaumont in 1889 as a poor Jewish immigrant from Lithuania and eventually became one of the city's major builders. The museum stands on the site of the Perlstein building, which was the tallest structure between Houston and New Orleans when it was erected in 1907. Only one column still remains from the building. AMSET, formerly the Beaumont Art Museum, exhibits 19th–21st century American art with a collecting focus on Texas art and Folk Art and offers 10–14 educational programs in any given year. Admission is free, and is the only museum open seven days per week.
- Beaumont Children's Museum Started in 2008 and opened in 2012, the museum moved to a temporary location in 2015 to the Beaumont Civic Center
- The Art Studio, a non-profit arts cooperative and art gallery space that rents subsidized space to visual artists. Also hosts poetry readings, music events, film screenings. Housed in a converted warehouse in the industrial district of Beaumont's downtown.
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum. Museum dedicated to the life of the Beaumont native and accomplished athlete.
- The Beaumont Art League is the oldest non-profit art gallery in the area, operating for 70 years. The two gallery spaces host art exhibitions and juried shows year-round, including the notable BAL National Exhibition, which attracts artists from across the country.
- The Chambers House, built in 1906, this home is open for tours. It is filled with period furniture, personal items, and artifacts used in the home.
- The Clifton Steamboat Museum opened on 26 October 1995. The theme of the museum is "Heroes... Past, Present, and Future", honoring military and civilian heroes. The Clifton Steamboat Museum consists of a, two-story museum. Exhibits bring to life the wars fought in Southeast Texas and Louisiana, as well as the Steamboat Era, World Wars I and II, Korea, and Vietnam. Upper art galleries of the museum feature original bronze sculptures; Native American artists, wildlife, and frontier paintings from famous artists. A special gallery in the museum is dedicated to the Boy Scouts of America. This gallery features many historical scouting artifacts, some dating before the 1960s. The tugboat, Hercules, high, wide, and long, is included on the museum tour. Tours available by appointment only.
- Dishman Art Museum is the university art museum of Lamar University. The museum features 19th and 20th century European and American Art, as well as Tribal Art from Africa and New Guinea.
- Edison Museum – about inventor Thomas Edison The museum features exhibits and artifacts about Thomas Edison and his innovations.
- Fire Museum of Texas – Home of one of world's largest fire hydrants. Antique fire trucks and equipment chronicle the history of firefighting in Texas. Educational programs stress the importance of fire safety.
- John Jay French House. This historic home is operated as a museum, to illustrate the life of a prosperous Texas pioneer family from 1845 to 1865. French, a tanner and merchant, built his home in 1845; it showcases period furnishings, clothing and pioneer household utensils. Outbuildings on the grounds include a blacksmith shop, tannery, privy and smokehouse.
- The McFaddin-Ward House, was built in 1905–06 in the Beaux-Arts Colonial style and is located in the Oaks Historic District. The structure and its furnishings reflect the prominent family who lived in the house for seventy-five years. This very large historic home has a substantial carriage house. The complex has a substantial permanent collection of antique furniture and household items. Educational programs focus on history and are geared toward children and adults.
- Red Lobster's historical marine museum
- Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum, this complex includes several reconstructed buildings reminiscent of the original Gladys City. The buildings contain artifacts from the period.
- Texas Energy Museum, Explore the fascinating world of petroleum science & technology from the geological formation of oil to modern refining chemistry. Discover the history of Texas oil as robotic characters share their adventures of the great 1901 Spindletop gusher. The Museum houses a collection of historical photographs, maps, and other materials related to Beaumont and southeast Texas oil fields. The museum opened on January 10, 1990, the anniversary of the Spindletop gusher.
Other historic buildings
- Beaumont Commercial District is a collection of historic buildings in downtown, a national historic district registered with the NRHP.
- Crockett Street Entertainment District The entertainment district includes five vintage buildings dating from around the turn of the 20th century. Each of the buildings has been renovated and several have been re-purposed to restaurants and entertainment.
- Jack Brooks Federal Building, built in 1933 as a WPA project.
- Jefferson County Courthouse is an excellent example of Art Deco architecture.
- The Jefferson Theatre, built in 1927, is an historic theater that presents live musical and stage performances as well as limited revival screenings of classic films. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and recognized also as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
- Julie Rogers Theater was formerly Beaumont's city hall and civic auditorium. The building was renovated to serve as a theater for live performances.
- St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica
- Temple Emanuel has a notable set of stained glass windows by Israeli artist Ze'ev Raban
- Tyrrell Historical Library, formerly First Baptist Church; the building is now used as an historical library. It has an extensive collection of genealogical records.
Performing arts
- Beaumont Ballet Theatre – The company performs two times a year, a Fall Premier performance and Cinderella, performed in the spring.
- Chartered in 1971, the ballet produces several performances each year, including The Nutcracker.
- – Begun in 1925, the Beaumont Community Players have performed several plays and musicals each year except for the World War II period. The Community Players have had several homes over the years including Little Theatre at Fair Park and Jefferson Theatre. Performances are now at the Betty Greenburg Center for Performing Arts.
- presents a variety of jazz, orchestral, opera, choir and chorus, brass, and concert band performances throughout the year.
- Symphony of Southeast Texas – Founded in 1953 as the Beaumont Symphony Orchestra, the symphony has been performing several performances each year since then. Several guest artists including Van Cliburn and Ferrante & Teicher have appeared with the symphony.
Tourism and recreation
In Beaumont
- The Beaumont Botanical Gardens is located near the entrance to the 500 acre Tyrrell Park. On its 23.5 acre grounds, it includes over ten themed gardens, the 10,000 sq ft Warren Loose Conservatory and a large collection of bromeliads.
- Tyrrell Park and Cattail Marsh features a botanical gardens and conservatory, the Henry Homberg Municipal Golf Course, a 900-acre cattail marsh nature area, and a 2.8 mile nature trail. restrooms, shelters, Babe Zaharias Drive Monument, baseball backstop, lighted basketball goals, benches, drinking fountains, nature trail, picnic tables
- Neches River Adventures is a two-hour eco-tour down the Neches River and bayous.
- Ford Park includes Ford Arena, as well as twelve competition softball fields, and exhibit halls.
In downtown Beaumont
Other entertainment and recreation venues located downtown include the following.
- Beaumont Civic Center – The 6,500 seat civic center is located in downtown Beaumont.
- The Event Centre and plaza features include a twelve-acre Great Lawn for concerts and a walking path. A 3,800 sq ft canopy with stage overlooks the Great Lawn, and a 14,000 sq ft canopy overlooks a two-acre lake with a thirty-five foot fountain. A 16,000 sq ft event hall is used for indoor events.
- Beautiful Mountain Skate Plaza' – Located adjacent to the Event Centre is the 10,000 sq ft skate park. The skate park opened in 2013. The park includes ledges, rails, banks, bank-to-bank, quarter pipes, and stairs. The park also has an amphitheater for other events.
Events
- Since 1907, Beaumont has been home of the South Texas State Fair and Rodeo, held at Ford Park during March. It is the second-largest fair in the state, attracting more than 500,000 visitors in 2009. The fair features a livestock show, a commercial exhibition, a carnival midway and numerous food choices. The Fair moved from the Fair Park Coliseum to Ford Park in 2004, a new, larger facility on the west end of Beaumont. The fair was previously held in the fall but was moved to spring after hurricanes Rita in 2005 and Ike in 2008 caused its cancellation twice within three years. is held at Ford Park during the South Texas State Fair. The rodeo is an annual event and is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Admission to the rodeo is included in fair admission.
- The Gusher Marathon, organized in 2010 by the local nonprofit Sports Society for American Health, is the city's first annual marathon. The Gusher takes place in March and includes a 5K, half marathon and full marathon. The course begins at the Montagne Center of Lamar University and tours Downtown and Lamar before returning to the Montagne.
- The Beaumont Jazz & Blues Fest is a Jazz festival held in downtown Beaumont since 2005.
- The Boomtown Film and Music Festival is a film and music festival that began in 2008 to replace the Spindletop Film Festival.
- Dog Jam is a rock concert held annually at Ford Park.
- July 4 Celebration – Each year, a July 4 celebration is held in downtown Beaumont. The celebration includes live music in and around Riverfront Park, a concert by the Symphony of Southeast Texas in the Julie Rogers Theatre, followed by a fireworks display viewed from Riverfront Park.
- Lunch at the Lake – Each Monday starting in March, the City of Beaumont provides live music and seating at the Event Centre in downtown Beaumont. Ten vendors feature a wide choice of food selections.
Parades
- Downtown Winter Parade – On the first Saturday of December, downtown hosts the Beaumont Downtown Winter Parade. The parade features floats that travel down Main, College and Pearl streets. In recent years the parade has also featured a lighted boat parade that travels down the Neches River; spectators can watch from Riverfront Park.
- Neches River Festival Parade – Part of the Neches River Festival held in April, this is a downtown parade. The festival has been held since 1948.
Sports
Professional sports
- The Oxford City F.C. Of Texas plays at Ford Arena, As a farm team of Oxford City F.C.
- The American Basketball Association's Southeast Texas Mavericks moved to Shreveport, La in 2013.
- The Texas Strikers, professional arena soccer team PASL, started playing at Ford Arena in 2012.
- The Beaumont Exporters were a minor league baseball team that played at Magnolia Ballpark and the Stuart Stadium from 1920–49 and 1953–55.
- The Beaumont Golden Gators were a minor league baseball team that played at Vincent-Beck Stadium from 1983 to 1986.
- The Beaumont Bullfrogs were a minor league baseball team that played in Beaumont.
- The Texas Wildcatters were an ECHL Hockey team based in Beaumont from 2003 to 2008
- The Beaumont Drillers were an IPFL football team that played in Beaumont from 2003 to 2007
University sports
The university brought back football in 2010. As part of the return, Provost Umphrey Stadium was completely renovated. The return was official when the Cardinals Football team played its first game in 21 years in the fall of 2010. The team currently competes in the Southland Conference as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Government
Local government
According to the city's 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $219.0 million in revenues, $202.8 million in expenditures, $900.1 million in total assets, $586.8 million in total liabilities, and $202.2 million in cash and investments.Politics
Beaumont is a council–manager form of government. Elections are held annually, with the Mayor and Council members each serving two-year terms. All powers of the City are vested in the Council, which enacts local legislation, adopts budgets, and determines policies. Council is also responsible for appointing the City Attorney, the City Clerk and Magistrates, and the City Manager. The city council is composed of two council members elected at-large, and four council members each elected from single-member districts, the four Wards of the city.| Position | Name | Elected to Current Position | Areas Represented Council Districts |
| Mayor | Becky Ames | 2007–present | Citywide |
| At Large Position 1 | Louis Randy Feldschau | 2019–present | Citywide |
| At Large Position 2 | W.L. Pate, Jr. | 2007–present | Citywide |
| Ward 1 | Taylor Neild | 2019–present | North Beaumont |
| Ward 2 | Mike Getz | 2011–present | West Beaumont |
| Ward 3 | Audwin M. Samuels | 1984–1992, 1999–present | Central Beaumont |
| Ward 4 | Robin Mouton | 2015–present | South Beaumont |
State facilities
The Texas Department of Transportation operates the Beaumont District Office in Beaumont.The Texas Ninth Court of Appeals is located in the Jefferson County Courthouse in Beaumont. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Beaumont District Parole Office in Beaumont. The Texas Department of Corrections operates three facilities of various custody types in unincorporated areas of Jefferson County, with a total capacity of about 7500 inmates.
Federal facilities
The Federal Bureau of Prisons operates the Beaumont Federal Correctional Complex in an unincorporated area in Jefferson County, south of Beaumont.Education
Colleges and universities
Lamar University
Beaumont has one state university, Lamar University, which is a part of the Texas State University System. Lamar University was established in 1923 as South Park Junior College. The university is currently classified as a national university. It is also classified as a Doctoral Research University – Moderate Research Activity by the Carnegie Foundation. With over 100 degrees offered, the university's main academic offerings are in Business, Nursing, Teaching and Engineering. Lamar University's enrollment has grown tremendously in the first decade of the 21st century. This has prompted a building boom at the campus. The school's enrollment as of Fall, 2015 was above 14,966 students.Lamar Institute of Technology
, located directly adjacent to Lamar University, serves as the region's technical college for two-year degrees and certificates. Originally a part of Lamar University and its predecessors since 1923, Lamar Institute of Technology was chartered in 1949 when the Lamar College Bill was passed. The bill was sponsored in the Texas Legislature by State Representative Jack Brooks and Senator W.R. Cousins, Jr. of Beaumont. Lamar Institute of Technology became a separate entity in 1995. As of Fall, 2014, enrollment totaled 2,920 students.Primary and secondary schools
Beaumont is served by the Beaumont Independent School District.- All Saints Episcopal School is a private school that serves PK3-8th grade. This school provides the most beautiful educational setting in the area. All Saints is an inviting community with state of the art playgrounds and facilities, located on 11 acres.
- Early College High School
- West Brook Senior High School
- Beaumont United High School
- Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School
- Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities
Premier High School of Beaumont, also a public charter school in Beaumont.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont runs three Catholic elementary schools in Beaumont, St. Anne Catholic School, St. Anthony Cathedral Catholic School, and Our Mother of Mercy Catholic School. Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School is the city's lone Catholic high school. Legacy Christian Academy, on Highway 105, enrolls PK-3 through 12th grade.
Residents who live in unincorporated Jefferson County, but have a Beaumont address, are zoned either to Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District or Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District.
Media
Newspapers
The Beaumont Enterprise is the only daily newspaper serving Beaumont. Operating since 1880 The Enterprise is one of the oldest continually operated business in Beaumont. It is operated by the Hearst Corporation.Two weekly publications The Examiner and The Southeast Texas Record serve Beaumont and the area. The Examiner is primarily an investigative reporting paper. the Southeast Texas Record is a legal journal that covers Jefferson and Orange County courts.
Television
- KBTV 4.1 with BOUNCE on 4.2; RF channel 27
- KFDM /DT 6.1 with RF channel 15 / PSIP 6.x; KBTV is operated by the same owners of KFDM, Sinclair Broadcast Group.
- KBMT /DT 12.1 with at 720p on 12.2; RF channel 12 / PSIP 12.x with Cozi on 12.3 and MeTV on 12.4. Tegna owns KBMT.
- KEBQ-TV 9
- KUMY-TV 22
- KAOB-LD 27.1 thru 27.8; RF Channel 32
- KITU-TV 34.1 – 34.5; RF channel 33
- LUTV Lamar University's video service that provides C-SPAN-like coverage on local government proceedings, and original programming from students. It does not have an over the air channel and is available only on cable TV.
Radio
| Frequency | Call letters / licensed to | Format | Owner | Notes |
| 560 | KLVI | News, Talk radio | iHeartMedia | - |
| 990 | KZZB | Gospel "Gospel 990" | Martin Broadcasting | - |
| 1150 | KBPO | Spanish-language Christian Radio | Christian Ministries of the Valley | - |
| 1250 | KDEI | Catholic radio | Radio Maria | - |
| 1300 | KWTH | Tejano | - | |
| 1340 | KOLE | Various | Birach Broadcasting | - |
| 1450 | KIKR | Sports "Sports Radio 1450/1510 AM" | Cumulus Broadcasting | - |
| 1510 | KBED | Sports "Sports Radio 1450/1510 AM" | Cumulus Broadcasting | Simulcast of KIKR only during daytime hours |
| 1600 | KOGT | Country | - | |
| 88.1 | KLBT | Contemporary Christian | The King's Musician Educational Foundation | - |
| 88.5 | KGHY | Southern Gospel "The Gospel Highway" | CCS Radio | - |
| 89.7 | KTXB | Christian radio "Family Radio" | Family Stations | - |
| 90.5 | KZFT | Christian radio | AFR | - |
| 91.3 | KVLU | Public Radio | Lamar University | - |
| 92.5 | KCOL | Oldies "Cool 92.5" | iHeartMedia | - |
| 93.3 | KQBU | Regional Mexican "Que Buena 93.3" | Univision | - |
| 94.1 | KQXY | CHR "Q94" | Cumulus Broadcasting | - |
| 95.1 | KYKR | Country "Kicker 95.1" | iHeartMedia | - |
| 97.1 | KTHT | Classic Country "Country Legends 97.1" | Cox Enterprises | - |
| 97.5 | KFNC | Sports "ESPN 97.5" | Gow Media-Houston | - |
| 98.5 | KTJM | Regional Mexican "La Raza 98.5/103.3" | Liberman Broadcasting-Houston | - |
| 99.9 | KHIH | Contemporary Christian "KSBJ" | KSBJ Educational Foundation, Inc. | - |
| 100.7 | KKHT | Christian radio "100.7 The Word" | Salem Broadcasting | - |
| 101.7 | KAYD | Country "KD101" | Cumulus Broadcasting | - |
| 102.5 | KTCX | Urban contemporary "Magic 102.5" | Cumulus Broadcasting | - |
| 103.3 | K277AG | Hip-Hop, R&B "The Beat 103.3" | iHeartMedia | Simulcast of KKMY-HD2 |
| 104.5 | KKMY | Rhythmic CHR "104.5 Kiss FM" | iHeartMedia | - |
| 105.3 | KXXF | Excel Media | - | |
| 106.1 | KIOC | Rock "Big Dog 106" | iHeartMedia | - |
| 106.9 | KHPT | Classic Rock "The Eagle 106.9 | Cox Enterprises | - |
| 107.9 | KQQK | Regional Mexican "107.9 El Norte" | Liberman Broadcasting-Houston | - |
Transportation
, located south of Beaumont's central business district, serves the region with regional jet flights nonstop to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, Texas with this scheduled passenger service being operated by American Eagle on behalf of American Airlines. The Beaumont Municipal Airport near the western city limit is available for general aviation travel.The Port of Beaumont is located on the Neches River at Beaumont.
Amtrak's Sunset Limited serves the Beaumont train station.
The city operates the Beaumont Municipal Transit System, a citywide bus system called.
Major Highways
Notable people
For a more extensive list of people associated with Beaumont, Texas see: :Category:People from Beaumont, Texas|People from Beaumont, Texas- Chip Ambres, minor league baseball player
- Kelly Asbury, film director, writer, illustrator and voice actor
- Doug Ault, Major League Baseball player
- Melvin Baker, football player
- Jerry Ball, football player for SMU and in NFL, 3-time Pro Bowl selection; born in Beaumont
- Vance Bedford, football coach
- Charlotte Beers, businesswoman and former Under Secretary of State
- James Brown, starting quarterback of Texas Longhorns from 1994–97
- Ben Broussard, Major League Baseball first baseman
- Jay Bruce, Major League Baseball player, three-time All-Star; born in Beaumont
- James Busceme, boxer who fought Alexis Arguello for world title in 1982
- Wayde Butler, football player
- Tracy Byrd, country music artist; grew up in Vidor
- Mark Chesnutt, country music artist; grew up in Nederland
- Robert Crippen, astronaut
- Tiffany Derry, celebrity chef, Top Chef contestant and fan favorite winner
- Floyd Dixon, professional football player
- Mel Farr, football player, UCLA, first-round draft choice of Detroit Lions, NFL Rookie if the Year; born in Beaumont
- Miller Farr, NFL player, first-round draft choice, three-time AFL All-Star; born in Beaumont
- Debra Jo Fondren, model and actress, lived in Beaumont
- Lew Ford, Major League Baseball player
- Herman Fontenot, NFL player* Larry Graham, bass player for Sly and The Family Stone, pioneered "slapping" technique, founder and frontman of Graham Central Station
- Irma P. Hall, actress in Soul Food, The Lady Killers, and many other movies. More information can be found at IMDB.
- Detrick Hughes, poet, author
- Harry James, musician and bandleader in Grammy Hall of Fame
- Blind Willie Johnson, Baptist minister and seminal gospel/blues bottle-neck guitarist
- George Jones, country music artist; grew up in Vidor
- Louie Kelcher, NFL player, 4-time All-Pro for San Diego Chargers; born in Beaumont
- Jerry LeVias, college and NFL football player, member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
- Bruce Lietzke, professional golfer, 22 victories, member of winning 1981 Ryder Cup team
- Barbara Lynn, R&B music artist
- Bob Mann, political historian, columnist, head of Department of Journalism at LSU; born in Beaumont
- Masada, pro wrestler
- Christine Michael, Texas A&M running back
- Kevin Millar, Major League Baseball player; played in college for Lamar
- Frank Middleton, NFL player
- Roger Mobley, child actor; police officer in Beaumont
- Vamsi Mootha, Indian-American physician-scientist
- David Ozio, bowler, won 11 titles on PBA Tour; executive at Etonic Shoe Company
- Kendrick Perkins, NBA player; member of 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics
- Mark Petkovsek, Major League Baseball player
- Dade Phelan, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from District 21; real estate developer born in Beaumont
- Bob Pollard, NFL player
- Kheeston Randall, football player
- Taylor Reed, football player
- J.P. Richardson, "The Big Bopper", DJ, rock & roll singer, killed with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens in 1959 plane crash
- Allan Ritter, member of Texas House of Representatives from Jefferson and Orange counties, born in Beaumont
- Frank Robinson, Major League Baseball player and manager, member of Hall of Fame; born in Beaumont
- Kevin Russell, musician, born and raised in Beaumont
- Brian Sanches, Major League Baseball player; grew up in Nederland, TX
- Bubba Smith, football player, College Football Hall of Fame, Super Bowl V champion in NFL and actor
- Tom Tierney, noted paper doll artist, cartoonist, and painter
- Billy Tubbs, basketball coach at Lamar, Texas Christian and Oklahoma University, 1988 NCAA Final Four
- Jason Tyner, Major League Baseball player
- Helen Vinson, actress, appeared in more than 40 films between 1932 and 1945; born in Beaumont
- Clay Walker, country music artist; grew up in Vidor, Texas
- Ben Wells, defensive back for CFL's Montreal Alouettes
- Edgar Winter, rock music artist, brother to Johnny Winter; born in Beaumont
- Johnny Winter, blues and rock music artist, brother to Edgar Winter; born in Beaumont
- Will Wynn, former mayor of Austin
- Mildred Ella Didrikson Zaharias, Olympic champion athlete and Hall of Fame pro golfer; one of the founders of LPGA
- Gus Zernial, Major League Baseball player, 1951 American League home run leader; born in Beaumont
- Kleio Valentien, American pornographic actress
Architecture
The Jefferson Theatre was built in 1927 by the Jefferson Amusement Company for $1 million and was Beaumont's showpiece for many years. In 1928 the City Hall and Auditorium was built. It is now the Julie Rogers Theater.
Beaumont's Jefferson County Courthouse is one of the tallest county courthouses in the state and is an excellent example of Art Deco architecture.
Across the street from the Jack Brooks Federal Building is the Kyle Building, built in 1933. The storefront was recently restored and is considered to be one of the best examples of Zig-Zag architecture in Texas.
The Oaks Historic District has many restored historic homes.